What a difference a year makes. In June 2020, to much fanfare, the Wales, Culture and Race Taskforce announced itself to the world. Formed in the middle of the Welsh arts sector’s reckoning on systemic racism, it demanded immediate change and had the national press coverage and over £20,000 to back it. A year later, with no announcement or explanation, in the shadow of a bullying scandal that remains unspoken about, the Taskforce has quietly removed all of its social media pages.
For a short time, working groups were the hot new trend in Wales. Some, like Cultural Freelancers Wales (CFW) and Welsh Arts Anti Racist Union (WAARU), have survived and thrived. Others, like the Wales Theatre Freelancers Network (WTFN), faded with a whimper. But it’s this task force that made the most noise, and therefore has the most to answer for. You won’t find a lot about it on social media now, but a cursory Google search will bring up articles and mentions by the BBC, The Stage, ArtsProfessional and Wales Arts Review. A quiet revolution, this was not.
The problem is that, for an organisation striving for transparency and accountability, they didn’t demonstrate too much of it themselves. To this day, it’s not clear who the ‘small collective’ was that started the Taskforce. Transparency also wasn’t seen as being important to their long-term strategy, at least that was the impression given in their early Zoom meetings. Ordinarily, these wouldn’t be major problems for a new organisation, but they become problems when you already have over £20,000 and the entire UK arts sector watching. Who is accountable when things go awry?
And, yes, things did go awry. On July 20th, WAARU released a statement on Twitter, referencing “the extractive actions of the [Taskforce], and abusive behaviour from one particular member (with which the Taskforce has been complicit).” Others came forward with their own experiences of bullying by certain members of the Taskforce. Open secrets were secret no more. Any record of a response from the Taskforce disappeared with the social media accounts; but ultimately, that was it.
Except: it isn’t. How can that be it, when there are so many unanswered questions? The obvious first question is: what happened? How did the Taskforce deal with the accusations made against them, and what happened over the last year? When did they decide to shut operations, and why didn’t they announce it? Considering how publicly this all began, members of the Taskforce now have a responsibility to tell the rest of the story. Demonstrate the transparency and accountability you were demanding yourself.
Significantly more important, however, is the question of money. According to the media coverage the Taskforce had raised at least £20,045, with more expected. These funds came from “28 organisational donors to date, with another 15 individuals making funding commitments”. Where exactly did this money come from? Where is it now? £8,450 was to be set aside “to deliver a programme based on six tenets” – what was planned for the remaining £12,000 plus?
To date, there’s no clarity on what happened to the money. The Taskforce – and Fio Theatre, who were holding the money – have a responsibility to provide that clarity. Judging by social media posts made last year, some of the donor organisations were Artes Mundi, Arts & Business Cymru, Avant Cymru, Hijinx Theatre, Literature Wales, National Dance Company Wales, National Eisteddfod, National Theatre Wales, NoFit State Circus, Taking Flight, Taliesin Arts Centre, Theatr Clwyd, Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru, Theatr Iolo, Ty Cerdd and Wales Millennium Centre. They, and all of the other donors, have a responsibility to confirm how much they pledged, and with what assurances and/or contractual obligations they made these payments.
Let’s also not forget that this money was donated for the singular goal of supporting work being done to improve racial equality in the arts. The donors need to announce how they will be using that money now, because using it for anything other than that singular goal is unacceptable. Show us that you’re continuing to commit to real change now in the same way you did when you donated last year.
Perhaps the most frustrating and worrying part of all of this is the fact that nobody seems to care. Why didn’t the Taskforce give any updates for the last twelve months? Why didn’t any of the donors? Doesn’t anyone care that, for perhaps an entire year, seemingly no work was done while £20,000 sat in a bank account? What about the allegations of bullying and abusive behaviour? Does nobody in the arts care how this was dealt with by the Taskforce? Why haven’t the arts media written about this already? Why aren’t they writing about it now? Why aren’t we angry about any of this?
Twelve months ago, over £20,000 was set aside to support the fight for racial equality in the Welsh art sector, and I refuse to accept that those funds no longer exist. Their social media channels might have disappeared under a cloak of darkness, but the Wales, Culture and Race Taskforce still needs to clear their mess up. Now more than ever, again, It’s time to show some responsibility.
Critically Speaking 
Theatr Iolo initially pledged to donate to the Wales Culture and Race Taskforce as we felt that it sounded like an interesting project and one that was going to amplify under-represented voices. However, we did not fulfil the pledge we made. We have since donated £500 to the Loyalty Collective that was set up by Connor Allen with a Jerwood Foundation Award. This money is supporting the Collective and the development of the next generation of black Welsh artists.
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Hi Jafar, For the importance of clarity and accuracy, please be aware Artes Mundi did not make a donation to this. Given what came to light through organisations such as WAARU, and the points you raise we withdrew and asked for our organisation to be removed from any lists and statements. This didn’t happen. Instead we made donations to BLM and other initiatives with our work in Cardiff that continues and is ongoing.
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Helo Jafar, The Wales Culture and Race Taskforce was not able to constitute itself so does not exist as an organisation that can respond or update. The organisations that pledged money to the initiative have met to write a formal response and will post it here at the beginning of next week.
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Rydym yn grŵp o sefydliadau a addawodd arian yn ddidwyll i Dasglu Diwylliant a Hil Cymru. Rydym yn cydnabod eich cais am dryloywder ac atebolrwydd ac yn cydnabod na fu diweddariadau cyhoeddus rheolaidd. Gan nad ni yw’r tasglu, nid oes gennym fynediad i’r e-bost, na’r cyfrifon cyfryngau cymdeithasol i gyhoeddi’r ymateb hwn.
Ym mis Mehefin 2020 daeth grŵp amrywiol o bobl lawrydd yng Nghymru ynghyd â nod cyffredin – herio’r diffyg amrywiaeth yn y celfyddydau yng Nghymru a mynnu newid systemig. Ffurfiwyd gweithgor i geisio sefydlu Tasglu Diwylliant a Hil Cymru (TDHC) i ymgymryd â rhaglen o waith a datblygu strwythur sefydliadol priodol. Er mwyn galluogi hyn cychwynnwyd ymgyrch codi arian, a sicrhaodd ymrwymiadau o dros £20,000 gan sefydliadau celfyddydol ac unigolion o bob rhan o Gymru. Cytunwyd mai Fio fyddai’r ‘bancwr’ am yr addewidion hyn hyd nes y gallai’r TDHC gael ei sefydlu. Ni dderbyniodd unrhyw un ar y gweithgor dal.
Yna gwnaed honiadau eang gan WAARU (Undeb Gwrth-hiliaeth Celfyddydau Cymru) am ymddygiad un unigolyn o fewn y gweithgor. Codwyd yr honiadau hyn yn ffurfiol gyda’r sefydliadau addo a gwrandawyd arnynt o ddifrif. Mae WAARU yn gweithredu mewn swyddogaeth anhysbys ac yn teimlo na allent enwi unigolion, gan gynnwys hunaniaeth y person yr oeddent yn ei gyhuddo. Ymatebodd y sefydliadau addo i’r cyhuddiadau a chyda’r gweithgor aethant i’r afael â’r pwyntiau a godwyd gan WAARU, fodd bynnag, nid oedd yn bosibl datrys yr holl faterion a godwyd yn foddhaol oherwydd natur anhysbys yr honiadau a godwyd.
Ym mis Awst, ysgrifennodd y sefydliadau addo at WAARU i ddweud bod yr unigolyn yr oeddent yn credu oedd yn destun cyhuddiadau wedi gadael y gweithgor. Roedd pryderon WAARU ynglŷn ag eiddo deallusol mewn ‘cynllun gweithredu chwe phwynt’, ac aed i’r afael hefyd â diogelu pobl drwy ohebiaeth.
O ganlyniad i’r sefyllfa hon, penderfynodd rhai sefydliadau addo ohirio eu rhoddion i’r TDHC nes bod y mater wedi’i ddatrys. O’r cyfanswm o’r £20,000 gwreiddiol a addawyd, casglwyd £9,100 a chlustnodwyd ef fel swm ar wahân gan Fio; £8,750 gan sefydliadau a £350 gan unigolion. Ers hynny, trosglwyddwyd yr arian i Gwmni Dawns Cenedlaethol Cymru eto i’w ddal fel swm cyfyngedig o arian sy’n disgwyl gweithgaredd i’w gytuno gan y gweithgor.
Cafodd yr honiadau a wnaed gan WAARU hefyd effaith sylweddol ar y gweithgor llawrydd gyda rhai aelodau yn cefnu o’r neilltu. Ceisiodd y rhai a arhosodd ddyfeisio dull newydd a fyddai’n ail-uno’r sector ar y cyd.
Gan gydnabod y byddai ailadeiladu’r prosiect yn cymryd amser, oedodd y gweithgor rhag ffurfio’r tasglu er mwyn chwilio am arweinydd annibynnol newydd. Ni fu’r chwilio yn gynhyrchiol. Mae gweithwyr llawrydd gweithredol wedi dod o hyd i ffyrdd newydd o weithio’n uniongyrchol gyda sefydliadau mewn ffyrdd artistig a strwythurol. Mae gweithgaredd ac arweinyddiaeth ostyngol Gweithwyr Llawrydd Diwylliannol Cymru (GLlDC), a Rhwydwaith Gweithwyr Llawrydd Theatr Cymru (RhGLlThC) yn enghreifftiau o’r newid hwn.
Mae’r sefydliadau a addawodd yn ddidwyll wedi rhoi amser a lle i’r prosiect oherwydd eu bod yn credu yn ei nodau. Y tu allan i’w cefnogaeth i’r TDHC maent wedi bod yn ymrwymo i newid yn sector y celfyddydau, a cheir tystiolaeth o hyn drwy eu gweithredoedd. Roedd cadw’r cronfeydd wedi’u clustnodi yn arwydd o’u gobaith mewn ffordd ymlaen sydd bellach yn ymddangos yn annhebygol.
Yn hynny o beth, mae’n teimlo mai’r cam priodol nesaf yw dychwelyd yr holl gronfeydd a addawyd fel y gellir eu hailddosbarthu. Ni lofnodwyd unrhyw gytundebau ar yr adeg y gwnaed yr addewidion felly mae’n amhriodol gosod telerau ar eu defnydd. Er bod y canlyniad hwn yn siomedig, mae’r sefydliadau addo yn parhau i fod yn ymrwymedig i newid, ac rydym wedi cytuno mai at ddefnydd cefnogi gwaith ar gyfer tegwch hiliol yn unig y caiff yr arian a ddychwelwyd ei ddefnyddio.
Fel grŵp o sefydliadau, rydym yn cydnabod ystod eang o newidiadau y mae angen i ni weithio tuag atynt a byddwn yn cwrdd yn rheolaidd i archwilio a gweithredu:
Tegwch: Mae diffyg croesdoriadol o amrywiaeth a thegwch yn parhau o fewn y celfyddydau o ran pobl ar yr ymylon. Rydym wedi ymrwymo i gefnogi gweithredoedd a fydd yn dod â newid a gweithio gydag actifyddion i gyflawni hynny.
Cefnogi actifiaeth: Mae actifiaeth llawr gwlad yn hanfodol i’r broses o newid yn y celfyddydau. Mae angen i ni sicrhau bod mentrau llawr gwlad yn cael eu cefnogi mewn ffyrdd a all eu helpu i dyfu a chyflawni eu gwaith. Rhaid seilio’r gefnogaeth hon ar undod gweithredol a chydweithio.
Mynd i’r afael â bwlio: Mae angen gweithdrefnau cadarn arnom ar gyfer delio â chyhuddiadau o fwlio y gall dioddefwyr bwlio ymddiried ynddynt ac ymgysylltu â hwy. Fel sector mae’n rhaid i ni roi’r gorau i fod yn rhan o’r distawrwydd ynghylch honiadau gan fod hynny’n niweidio ac yn eithrio’r dioddefwyr ymhellach.
Cyfryngu gwrthdaro: Mae’r gwaith o newid yn heriol, a gall arwain at wrthdaro rhwng grwpiau, a thu fewn iddynt. Mewn lleoliadau cyhoeddus a phreifat, mae angen i ni gyfryngu’n fwy effeithiol, gan dynnu sylw at y materion i’w trafod, a dod o hyd i ddatrysiad.
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We are a group of organisations who pledged money in good faith to the Wales Culture and Race Taskforce. We acknowledge your request for transparency, and accountability and recognise there have been no regular public updates. As we are not the task-force, we do not have access to the email, or social media accounts to publish this response.
In June 2020 a diverse group of free-lancers in Wales came together with a common goal – to challenge the lack of diversity within the arts in Wales and demand systemic change. A working group was formed to try and establish a Wales Culture and Race Taskforce (WCRT) to undertake a programme of work and develop an appropriate organisational structure. To enable this a fundraising campaign was started, and secured commitments of over £20,000 from arts organisations and individuals from across Wales. It was agreed that Fio would be the ‘banker’ for these pledges until the WCRT could be established. No-one on the working group was paid for their work.
Broad allegations were then made by WAARU (Wales Arts Anti Racism Union) about the behaviour of one individual within the working group. These allegations were raised formally with the pledging organisations and listened to seriously.WAARU operates in an anonymous capacity and felt unable to name individuals, including the identity of the person they were accusing. The pledging organisations responded to the accusations and with the working group addressed the points raised by WAARU however, it was not possible to resolve all the issues raised satisfactorily due to anonymous nature of the allegations raised.
In August, the pledging organisations wrote to WAARU to say the individual they believed was the subject of accusations had left the working group. WAARU’s concerns regarding intellectual property in a “six point action plan’, and safeguarding of people were also addressed though correspondence.
As a result of this situation, some pledging organisations decided to defer their donations to the WCRT until the matter had been resolved. In total, £9,100 of the original £20,00 pledged was collected and held as a ring-fenced sum by Fio; £8,750 from organisations and £350 from individuals.. The funds have since been transferred to the National Dance Company of Wales again to be held as a restricted sum of money awaiting activity to be agreed by the working group.
The allegations made by WAARU also had a significant impact on the free-lance working group with some members stepping away. Those who remained attempted to devise a new approach that would re-unite the sector in collective action.
Recognising that rebuilding the project would take time, the working group paused forming the task-force to search for a new, independent leader. This search has been unfruitful. Activist freelancers have found new ways of working directly with organisations in artistic and structural capacities. The reduced activity and leadership of Cultural Freelancers Wales (CFW), and Wales Theatre Freelancers Network (WTFN) are examples of this change.
The organisations who pledged in good faith have given the project time and space because they believe in its goals. Outside of their support for the WCRT they have been making commitments to change in the arts sector, and evidenced them with actions. Keeping the funds ring fenced was a sign of their hope in a way forwards which now seems unlikely.
As such it feels the right next step is to return all pledged funds so they can be redistributed. No contracts were signed at the point of pledging so it inappropriate to impose terms on their use. While this outcome is disappointing, the pledging organisations remain committed to change, and we have agreed that our returned fund will only be used to support work for racial equity.
As a group of organisations, we recognise a wide range of changes we need to work towards and will meet regularly to explore and action them:
Equity: The arts sector still lacks intersectional diversity and equity for marginalised people. We are committed to supporting actions that will bring change and working with activists to achieve that.
Supporting activism: Grassroots activism is vital to the process of change in the arts. We need to ensure that grassroots initiatives are supported in ways that can help them grow and carry out their work. This support must be based in active solidarity and collaboration.
Addressing bullying: We need robust procedures for dealing with accusations of bullying that victims of bullying can trust and engage in. As a sector we must stop being complicit in our silence around allegations that that further harms and excludes the victims.
Mediating conflict: The work of change is challenging, and can lead to conflict between, and inside groups. In public and private settings, we need to mediate more effectively, drawing out the issues for discussion, and finding resolution.
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*correction £20,00, not £20,000 (paragraph 2)
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